U.S. EPA fines logitech more than $250,000 for making unsubstantiated health claims

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered computer peripherals maker Logitech, Inc. to pay $261,000 to settle a case against the company for making unsubstantiated public health claims about its keyboard, a violation of federal law. The company incorporated a silver compound designed to protect a keyboard against deterioration, then marketed the keyboard as protecting the user from bacteria and microbes. To promote such benefits for that use a company must have the product tested, then registered by the EPA.

“Unverified public health claims can lead people to believe they are protected from disease-causing organisms when, in fact, they are not,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The EPA takes very seriously its responsibility to enforce the law against companies that make such claims for their products.”

Logitech, whose U.S. headquarters are based in Fremont, Calif., distributed some 1,300 cordless desktop MX3200 laser keyboards to various retailers and customers throughout the nation. This keyboard and mouse combination incorporated an EPA registered pesticide, AgION silver compound.

Evidence found online and during an investigation of the Fremont facility in 2008 led the Agency to issue a complaint against Logitech. After being contacted by EPA, Logitech promptly stopped making claims that their product protects consumers against bacteria, mold and mildew, removed claims from their website, and revised their product packaging.

Products that kill or repel bacteria or germs and/or claim to do so are considered pesticides, and must be registered with the EPA before their sale or distribution, pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The Agency will not register a pesticide until it has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to the directions. Consumers should be careful to follow the directions for proper use, and look for the EPA registration number printed on product labels.

Most popular related searches

Related news

Whether you have a farm or home garden, the health of the soil directly correlates to the quality of the fruit and vegetables. The healthy soil movement is centered around bringing attention to the fact that fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are killing our soil and seeping into our food supply. Our soil is depleted of essential nutrients, fungi and bacteria due to decades of agricultural abuse.
“Although the United States has some of the richest soils in the world, decades of agricultural abuse have...

Increased mycotoxin contamination
Climate change will likely result in increased contamination of grain with mycotoxins (toxins from fungi). Early prediction of the growth of these fungi can help farmers make effective choices regarding the use of fungicides, the best harvest time and other aspects. This strategy can reduce the risk of crop failure and help to prevent contamination of food and feed with mycotoxins.
Customised advice
The e-toolbox is part of the European project MyToolBox. The aim of the...

The cloud of insecticide that drifted from a neighbor`s corn field onto the asparagus on Andrew and Melissa Dunham`s central Iowa farm cast a shadow over their organic vegetable business.
They say the costs from the incident and resulting loss of organic certification on their asparagus patch for three years will reach about $74,000, and they`re now working with the sprayer`s insurance company.
"We`re a certified organic farm - except for our asparagus," Melissa Dunham lamented.
Pesticide drift is a serious...

Growers will find key information to keep in mind about the ongoing threat of soybean rust and actions they can take to minimize potential losses from this disease in two videos now available online.
The videos include highlights from numerous research and Extension projects carried out by land-grant university researchers from around the country involved in soybean rust research and monitoring efforts.
They were produced with support from the American Public Land Grant Universities Association, Cooperative...

FAO warns that without increased commitment to combat Black Sigatoka Disease, which has ravaged banana and plantain production in the Caribbean, vulnerable people could face food insecurity if the disease situation is allowed to further deteriorate.
Black Sigatoka disease is considered one of the most dangerous diseases of banana and plantain. It spread from Asia and reached the Caribbean in 1991. Smallholder banana farmers were unable to shoulder the expense of fighting the disease on their own, and banana...

Customer comments

No comments were found for U.S. EPA fines logitech more than $250,000 for making unsubstantiated health claims. Be the first to comment!